Fieldclasses and field skills

Environmental Science students take part in core fieldclasses at levels 1 and 2 which are taught jointly by Geography and Animal & Plant Science staff. These fieldclasses run for 7 or 8 days and teach essential field skills and research design. There are also two optional field classes at level 3.

All compulsory fieldwork and core fieldclasses incur no extra cost for students.

Level 1 fieldclass: Geoenvironmental Field Skills

This seven-day core fieldclass is based on the North Yorkshire coast, near Scarborough. During the week you will investigate various aspects which have helped form the present-day landscape and the associated human activities.
These range from the geology of the area, more recent sedimentary processes and controls on present vegetation distributions. You will learn how to make scientific observations and measurements, make and test research hypotheses and present findings either as an individual or as part of a team.

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Level 2 fieldclass: Environmental Interpretation

The eight-day core fieldclass, based in the beautiful west coast of Ireland, allows you to learn environmental interpretation and assessment techniques in a unique range of habitats.
You will visit woodlands, bogs, upland and coastal grasslands, limestone pavement and lake-shore habitats to study the botany, geology, geography, history and environmental science of the area. You will take an in-depth look at some important major rock types and landscape processes, as well as learning description, sampling, quantification and data analysis techniques. The field excursions are complemented by lectures, and learning is reinforced by project work, working in small teams to collect, analyse and present data on a specific environmental research problem.

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